F Books

At present I'm researching the way poets use structure as meaning in poetry. This excellent book not only explains the different poetic forms from poetic traditions from around the world, it also gives details of their history. The book is organised so information can be found quickly. The only drawback I found is the small font it uses.

This book is comprehensive and probably essential for the study of poetry. But there are several serious problems. First, there is only a completely useless Table of Contents and no index. Yes, it is an encyclopedia and the entries are in alphabetical order but the subjects are very broad (Symbol, Twentieth-Century Poetics) making it necessary to scan several pages in several different subject areas without knowing if you have missed the poem or poet you are looking for. How will you know to look for comments on The Illiad under the heading of Simile or that the subject heading Intuition contains a discussion of the Neo-Platonists? Scanning pages for a specific piece of information is difficult because the print is tiny. The Preface and Acknowledgments are in big print and then they switch to very small print for the remainder of the book. You will need lots of time and a magnifying glass to take full advantage of this book.

I have very little to add to the laudatory reviews. Some found the print too small, but for me it was not a problem - I am used to using reference works with smallish print.

I just got my copy and found a lot of fascinating information on the ode which I didn't know. From what I've read so far, the topical discussions are excellent, and there are ample biographical references for the major and some of the minor entries. All in all, it is a great resource for student, poet, poetry lover, and critic.

one of the three books that any student or writer of poetry needs to own, besides a good dictionary. (The other two are Pound's "ABCs of Reading" and Shapiro's "Primer.") Answers questions & points you in the right direction for more. Once you open it, you'll wonder how you got by without it.

This is the most comprehensive and informative encylopedia of poetry and poetics that I know. It at times seems so comprehensive and detailed as to make understanding of its entries possible. It is in fact so overwhelming sometimes that it confuses by telling much more than I, at least, need or want to know. It seems to me in a way a very academic work, wonderful for critics but probably of very little use in inspiring to poetry. So much knowledge about poetry is not necessarily what poetry is.

Tony Gold weaves together the ongoing stories of Osbourne family. Between the pages of this book, you will find a comprehensive history of the Osbourne family and their most recent experiences before 2003. The book includes a nice photo collection and it is a joy to read. Along with Gold's other Osborne's book, "Officially Osbourne" and the DVD series, you will have a keepsake of entertainment,insight and a broader understanding of the phenomenal family. As time goes by, I believe we will all come to appreciate them, Ozzy, of course, Sharon, Kelly and Jack, more, as they move on to new and varied enterprises.

I loved this book. When you watch the show you get an edited version of the family so it is nice to have something that gives you true insight. I especially loved that Aimee put her views in. I really think Sharon is dynamic and an inspiration to all women. There was a part that I think about daily, Sharon said that in America its more acceptable to be a drug addict than to be fat. If I could pick one family to have dinner with this would be my choice thanks to this book!

I read this book in English Class and I think it's a great book for any one who just wants to know more about the whole family, there are things in this book u would have never thought could happen to the family but it did. THIS BOOK NOT ONLY TALKS ABOUT THE fAMILY BUT ALSO Ozzy and his Wifes life before they had Kids and how ozzy became so great!

BUY IT!

I am soooooo happy that I opted to purchase this book. Not only was the story fascinating and at times sad, it gave me a huge perspective on Ozzy's behavior and what makes him tick. The photo bonus in the middle of the book is a true treasure. It was so good, I read the whole thing from cover to cover in less than 3 hours! Definitely worth every penny spent!

I bought and read this book and was quite amazed about the honesty and the love this family shares for one another. I give Sharon a lot of credit on what she has been put through in her marriage to Ozzy. She is an amazingly strong person that is dedicated and truly loves her family. Ozzy has survived such difficulties with drugs and drinking. Thank God he is still with us today to create the great music that he does. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a "real" family behind the scenes.

When I picked this book up from the library I was not sure it would be one that I would enjoy,but I was surprised how into the story I got and could not put it down! I am not going to tell all the details of the book but I will just say that if you want a book that will not only capture you mind but your heart as well than you will enjoy this book and even be sad when it ends cause you just want to keep reading!

Maurine F. Dahlberg.... wow can you ever write. This is one of my very favorite books of all time and I swear that I have read WAY to many books. Right now I am doing an Independant Novel studu on it and have to do a bibliography on you. I can't seem to find information but kids and/or Adults if you ever need a good book to read, I suggest you pick up a Play to the Angel and dig in!

" Austria 1938. War is coming. But Greta only cares about her music." What if suddenly you were practicing in your piano professor's apartment. When a loud banging comes from the door. You open it to see starched uniforms, shiny boots, pistols, swastikas, and lightning bolts. The Nazis are at the door.
This was just one of the many scenes from Pay to the Angel. Where words of cheerfulness and depression burn a seeping image in your mind. This author really sets the scene. Maurine Dahlberg wrote the magnificent and extraordinary novel.
Greta Radky loves to play the piano. But her mother does not want her to play. She threatens to sell the piano. But luckily, a piano teacher moved into the apartment not far away. Se learns how to play the piano from a Herr Hummel. But while at a party with her friends Mutti (the mother) finds out! But in a last desperate attempt by Herr Hummel and Greta, she decides... to keep the piano. So Greta plays better and better and eventually she is invited, by Herr Hummel, to a Recital at a huge musical academy, in front of a large audience! She had never done this before. And more than anything she wants Mutti to come. But at the end of the recital she is not there. When she leaves the academy, she why Mutti had not come. The Nazis had taken over Austria! But that's all I'm going to tell (I hate Spoilers).
One day, Greta was practicing on Herr Hummel's piano Sunday morning. Herr Hummel was never at his apartment room come Sunday morning. So he had given Greta a spare key to the room. Then a knocking came from the door. Too loud to be Mutti, Herr Hummel, or any of the neighbors. She opened the door, and the hall was filled with Nazis. Then they swarmed the room, tearing it apart, looking for signs of the unidentified Herr Hummel.
The theme to the book is that things aren't what they seem. Like cold- hearted Mutti, turns out to be, happy, loving, caring Mutti. And like Herr Hummel's identity. And how no one seemed to think that the Nazis would invade Austria.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books with mystifying people. And anyone who loves to read about history. This is a very creative story. If you wish to find out about Herr Hummel's secret past, Mutti's true feelings, and the story of Greta Radky, you will have to read Play to the Angel.

When I started to read this book, I was captivated. It is interesting and provides a good insight to musical life to someone who is musically challenged. I thought Herr Hummel, or Karl Von Engelhart, was very well-done and interesting. When I finished this book I suddenly wanted to go to Austria and see what it was like. The only thing I didn't like was it ended on a cliff-hanger, and I really tortured myself thinking about if Greta ever saw Lore or Erika or Karl von Engelhart (Herr Hummel) again.

One thing I disagree with in the review above: they say that Doris Ogel's The Devil in Vienna is better than Play to the Angel. It is not! I read about half of TDIV and I was totally bored and disinterested, although I finished it. It was shallow and the emotions of Inge were very undeveloped. Though I'm getting off the subject. Read Play to the Angel and you won't be disappointed!

Greta was a piano player in Vienna, Austria in 1938. Her brother Kurt died about a year before and her mother is starting to get insane migraines. But those wont stop Greta from dreaming of becoming a famous pianist. She is different from all the girls in school. And now that her best friend Erica has moved to America, she truly feels alone sometimes. Even her neighbor Frau Vogel can't help her that is until she tells Greta about a piano teacher that lives in the apartment next door. She goes to the apartment one day but no one is there. She walks in to find a beautiful grand piano. She takes out some music and begins to play when Herr Hummel startles her. They eat and start to talk. By the time Greta leaves she has agreed to take piano lessons from him for free. She keeps this a secret from her mother for a while but when Herr Hummel brings up that he wants Greta to play at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts. Greta begins to practice music from Scarlatti and Mendelssohn for her recital. Finally the day of her performance comes. Her and her mother had gotten in a fight earlier that day but Greta had hoped that she could still make it. To her surprise her mother didn't arrive. When the recital was over Greta and Herr Hummel were rushed back to Herr Hummel's apartment where they found Frau Vogel and Greta's mother with an injured ankle. Apparently the Nazi's had invaded Austria and while Greta's mother was running out of the shop where she works she sprained her ankle. Soon one of Herr Hummel's old students Rudolf Beck, who Greta and Herr Hummel had seen while they were in the city, has sent the SS for Herr Hummel. Greta is in Herr Hummel's apartment when the SS came in tearing the place up looking for things. That is when she finds out that Herr Hummel is actually famous pianist Karl von Englehart, and that he is wanted for helping Jews escape the Nazi's. When the SS men leave Greta remembers the money and passports in Herr Hummel's desk and takes them across town to the Academy where he is with one of the directors. He tells Greta that he is going to Prague and that he will contact her when he is safe. Later Greta receives a letter from him saying that he is on his way to America. Greta and her mother escape the Nazi's by going to live with family in Switzerland. This book is good for students who like to learn about the affects of WW2 and who study music. This book shows students that no matter what they can always make their dreams come true.

In the beginning of the book Greta has suffered a great lose in her life, her brother Kurt, who also played piano, died and her mother is becoming very irritable. Her mother used to always have fun with them and enjoy listening to Kurt play the piano but now every time Greta touches it she says she has a headache and wants to rest. Also her mother almost sold the piano and Greta began to greatly doubt she could ever become a concert pianist.

Greta also doesn't fit in with many girls in her school. For one of her papers she has to write about the best day of her life and she writes about one where she spends it alone playing the piano but her fear of being made fun of lowers her self esteem and makes her nervous about her upcoming recital.

After her recital Greta realizes that many people believe in her and that she can accomplish anything she wants to. Her mother risked dying to see her play at the Academy and Herr Hummel risked being captured by the Nazi's to help her succeed with her playing. And she even makes a new friend, Lore, who likes her for who she is and what she does. Greta realizes she has nothing to be shy about and that her brother would be proud that she is accomplishing what he couldn't.

This book can truly teach students many things about the world around them and themselves. I recommend this book to students of all ages that would like to learn more about the piano or more about the affects of war on people.


T.Shene

I just recieved this book some days ago and I just cannot put it down (well you know what I mean). It is VERY well constructed, and previous knowledge of the "Gemstone Files" and connected theories (I see them as truths) need not be a requirement for this reading. This is in NO way to undermind/understate this superb book. I have shown it to people who know little or nothing of the Onassis-Kennedy connection conspiracy, how even just reading the introduction sparked intrest in some of the most non-believers I know (or have talked to about these subjects). This is a true 5 star book... If any of the subject matter makes you wonder, question or as I said just spark some interest. Get this book! Other popular books on the Gemstone Files are also worthy reading... The full Gemstone Files will be released soon, and all the skeptics that still believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone will be in for a BIG surprise. The Kennedys were right on, dismantle the CIA, crack down on mob activity (well infused within the CIA) and get the United States of America back on a rightous track. Something we are suffering from since the "cold-war" and the "arms-race"...to today with the Bush (let's kill more people and lie to the American public) USA I feel so ashamed to be a part of. But I am only a man, a civilian, who feels he deserves to know the truth like the rest of the America and the world should. I am not a patriot at all (at least not in the right-wing way), I do love the USA and our country. This is why these books that reveal how corrupt our government is, and globally connected to other countries for well, POWER SUPREME are SO important. The couragious people who revealed these hidden truths, are primarily dead and from "suspicious circumstances" are no conincidence... Read for yourself. Be Aware, beware and be a "true" American. Big Brother is upon us and growing day by day. Project Seek is a great starting point for those seeking to piece the "Global Puzzle" together...piece by piece it will come out.

Peace everyone and I wish it was as simple as that...

Gerald A. Carroll spent years researching the Gemstone File history, and produced the best volume of documentation and analysis yet available. Well written and great reading, reads like an excellent mystery story but it's all true.

Gerald Carroll did a marvelous job of seeking out the truth behind the "Skeleton Key to the Gemstone File." With several hundred pages from Bruce Porter Roberts' original Gemstone papers published in "The Gemstone File - A Memoir", "Project Seek" is still an excellent, well-written and well-researched supplement for people who want to understand more about what has happened to our world over the last 50 years.

I worked for Hughes during the time of the event described as his "kidnapping." At the time, the entire Staff on Romaine street was in a major uproar, ostensibly because of a "falling out" between Hughes and Noah Detrich. However, the behavior of some members of the staff subsequent to this event have convinced me that a great degree of truth is contained in Gemstone.

This thick new volume on the famous Gemstone Files is complete with additional research and photos. An extremely valuable book that looks into the roles of Howard Hughes, (Aristotle) Onassis, World War II conspiracies and the Kennedy assassinations in the light of a mysterious document known as the "Gemstone File."

As an avid reader and self proclaimed "self-help junkie" I found Dr. Singh's book to be one of the most well written, thorough and applicable books that I have ever read. Dr. Singh does a great job of linking together the pieces of a broken heart and putting the information to restore your heart right in your lap.

I have worked in Christian ministry helping people working through their relational brokenness for over seven years. Often it is hard to find books in Christendom that speak to the core of what is truly going on in the human Spirit. For this reason it is with great joy that I recommend Rekindling Your Spirit to you. I used Rekindling Your Spirit in my men's group. The book really helped the men to see below their symptomology to the their core need for God and His love. How refreshing! Three cheers for Rekindling Your Spirit!!

You will see yourself in these pages. I have. You will see the struggles you've been facing ... the ones that most of us don't know how to put into words ... brought out into the light. Paul Singh helps us get a clear view of what is at the core of the issues we face, and even more importantly, where and how to find the freedom and healing we all so deeply desire.

Most of us need help for our own life journey, and there are many around us who could use some help too. This book will impact you personally, but it will also help you bring freedom and healing to those around you. Wouldn't you like to go from struggling ... to freedom ... to having something you could give to help others?

This book is a treasure all the way through, but let me leave you with this: ACT ON CHAPTER SIX. I've needed what's in that chapter more than I ever imagined.

I would highly recommend this book if you want to see your life and/or your marriage truly transformed. Most therapists (Christian Therapists included) deal with the 25% above the surface, namely, the pain/hurts you're experiencing. Dr. Singh takes it to such deeper levels, that you will be amazed and be saying, 'wow, I didn't know that' over and over again. He speaks the truth in love and has a gift of doing it with gentleness so that you're open to listening, taking it in. He teaches to daily spend some time worshipping/focusing on the Lord (taking the focus off yourself). My own experience has been that Dr. Singh's book/teachings/conference led me to a place where the Holy Spirit delivered me from bondage in my life and my marriage is being transformed.

Dealing with the brokenness and pain that are common to humankind, Rekindling Your Spirit delves beneath the waterline, below the iceberg-tip symptoms to the deep issues of soul and spirit that drive addiction - and offers hope. There is such concrete and personal content here, real-life application of the theology of atonement and sanctification. The material is not difficult to understand, but it is difficult to look deeply into one's own soul and relationships and see the wreckage that exists - not just the pain done TO me, but worse, my own sinful and damaging responses. The chapters are potently able to disrupt long-standing patterns of self-deception, self-absorption, and codependency, and lead to the grace, healing, and peace of God.

Rekindling Your Spirit is best read slowly, honestly, and in the company of a few intimate friends who will join in the journey of spiritual growth and change. The Christian Gospel really is true; and transformation really is possible.

I can't possibly add any comment that wouldn't just echo the praise already heaped upon this excellent novel which I originally read as a teen in the early sixties. With the recent remake of The Manchurian Candidate updated to current events, Seven Days In May has preyed on my mind.

Possible scenario: The U.S. Military, totally disgusted with the Iraq War's civilian leadership and the destruction of a military establishment slowly and systematically put back together after Vietnam, decides to stop the carnage and waste and do SOMETHING about it. Of course, it would only be temporary until the next elections...or maybe not. A chilling possiblity.

This gripping 1962 novel provides a stark reminder of both the Cold War and the fragility of democratic rule. President Jordan Lyman has recently signed (and the Senate approved) a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. But the treaty remains highly unpopular, and has left many in and out of the military establishment frightful of surprise attack and seething with anger. Enter General James Scott, a charismatic leader with political ambitions. President Lyman learns that General Scott may be plotting against him, but the evidence is sketchy, and Lyman doesn't want to act against a possible military coup without something closer to proof. Adding to the President's woes are his current unpopularity, his doubts as to just who is loyal, and his uncertainty as to the correct course of action. As the story unravels, we sense the President's fear as well as the ever-present threats to democratic rule, particularly in times of danger and stress.

SEVEN DAYS IN MAY is an excellent novel as relevant today as it was in the 1960's. This fast-reading book was made into a very good 1964 movie with Frederick March (President Lyman), Burt Lancaster (General Scott), Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, and Edmond O'Brien.

Exactly as long as it needs to be--an important thing with books--"Seven Days in May" is a riveting thriller about the totally unthinkable: a military coup d'etat in the United States Goverment. Yet, the author makes it seem possible. A very popular general, a president with the lowest rating since Truman, and a Peace Treaty that has the country and the government divided...could it trigger a popular coup? It does in this book, and it is set forth totally realistically, as if something like this REALLY could happen. We think our country is immune from this kind of Byzantine political intrigue, but it turns out that we really are no less vulnerable from breakdown than your average banana republic...at least in this book. Chilling thought isn't it? Totally awesome book, I recommend it highly.

"Seven Days in May" is an authentic classic political thriller of the first rank. Authors Baily and Knebel present a scenario in which an unpopular President is targeted by America's top military brass for an actual military takeover of the government. The story is complex, but vividly presented with an authenticity that is both disturbing and plausible. The reader is brought to understand that it could happen here, and the story suggests how such a scenario could come about in these United States.

The novel is well-written and fast-paced, never drags, and absolutely holds the reader's interest throughout. The amazing thing about the story is that every bit of it hangs together without straining the reader's sense of credulity. The novel features excellent writing, and the authors weave the plot together towards a conclusion that is startling and believable (no spoiler here).

This was a big budget movie in the 1960s featuring Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster (available on DVD) and I would very much like to see a reprint of the novel become available, as my often-read paperback copy has long since fallen to pieces from frequent readings.

I read this book on a long airplane trip, and the story was so intense it kept me glued from lift off to land down.

As the other reviewers have summarized, the plot centers around "Seven days in May" as the President of the United States and his closest aides secretly scramble to thwart a coup being planned by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The book is very fast paced, and has no "main" character. The point of view shifts from one character to another, often on opposite ends of the country, with lots of action in between. There are numerous twists and turns, but the book is never predictable or cliched.

It's also a very well-researched story, and anyone well versed in National Security and the Pentagon will be impressed at the two authors' attention to detail.

I was really amazed how un-dated this book is, despite being written in the early 60's. The authors wisely never reveal the year the story takes place, but subtle hints indicate it takes place sometime in the 70's (Kennedy is the last "real" President mentioned). When you hear the logic of some of the coup-planners you have to wonder wheter or not such a scheme has ever been secretly plotted in the past- or wheter a similar one will ever be plotted in the future. Complacency in the stability of ANY democracy can be dangerous, and the events in "Seven Days in May" certainly proves that.

This book highlights the independence that exists between the military and civilian branches of the US government, and the careful dance that the president must do to appease both sides. When it comes to matters of national security, the book raises the important question of who is ultimately responsible. Should the constitution always be respected, even when the safety of the nation is in danger? Does the military have the right to surpass the president if he is acting in a manner that will endanger the country? Does the president deserve to have his role as "Commander in Chief"?

In this era of terrorism and uncertainty, these are all very relevant questions to ask. This book, especially the ending, answers these, and many others, brilliantly.

Sun Ra has remained one of the most misunderstood musicians of our time. And in the case of many music geniuses, Sun Ra would keep the critics and fans at arm's length, but welcome musicians into his world of philosophy and art.

Author John F. Szwed does an almost impossible task of peeling of the layers of myth and disinformation to present the real life, struggles and triumphs of Sun Ra. Szwed brilliantly weaves through the situations which shaped his life while growing up in Birmingham, Ala., the highs and exteme lows in the jazz world of Chicago and New York City & how persistence finally yielded an understanding - on various levels - from fans who also wanted to challenge the barriers erected in the music industry.

The philosophy of Sun Ra is explained and Szwed shows how it influenced every facet of his life on and off stage. I strongly believe Szwed ends any debate on how Sun Ra lived his life and what he demanded from those around him.

This must have been a very difficult undertaking for Szwed, but his outstanding research and balanced reporting yields a fantastic biography on a person we can continue to learn from.

Great book.
If you have an interest in who Sun Ra was you ought to read this. Not a lot of musical analysis, but an extrordinary explanation of the ideas and philosophies behind it. Good job on the life as well.
I wish the highly-praised Lewis Porter Coltrane biography was a quarter as good as this.

The book is well-written and does what it sets out to do - explain who Sun Ra was and what he was doing. This is no mean feat. Sun Ra was a man of many interests and beliefs, of whom many misconceptions exist. Even most of his fans (I've been listening to Ra's music for about 10 years now) will probably learn much and gain tremendous perspective on him from this book (I certainly did).

The book's story is one of a man with artistic genius within him, who probably could have been a millionaire and musical "star" - who chose to do other things instead. Here is the unusual story of what he did and why he did it.

There is room for another book in the world on Ra's discography, that traces the patterns, forms, and themes of his vast catalogue of recorded music. There is room in the world for a book that tells the stories of the members of Ra's Arkestra. But this is not those books, this is the first logical step in studies : an explanation of Sun Ra himself. It's a difficult job very well done.

Frankly, Sun Ra seemed to go out of his way to make a biography pretty much impossible. Professor Szwed is to be commended for his effort, though I think at times the professor takes Ra and himself too seriously. It is a hip jazz disease that Ra played off of brilliantly and would have been amused by.

What is of value is you get some idea of the depth of this fellow, the complexity, the seriousness and simultaneous playfull nature. In being too deep or altogether dismissive of him, we missed the amazing creations.

The book confirmed my evaluation of Ra's heart and motivation. A few years prior to reading this book, I went with my family to an assembly of jazz musicians who processed, played outrageous free jazz, and did this while listening to an old woman recite Sun Ra's poetry while "dancing" and "singing" in Wichita. My young daughter was squealing with delight and loving the wild affair. The adults were being so "into it", solemn, and so serious. This book confirmed to me she was likely the only one Sun Ra would have concluded got it. He probably would have commenced to direct the band to improvise off of her squeals.

He from above probably was smiling and particularly happy that a little white girl "understood the vibrations" and would have been encouraged for the future of the earth which he was convinced would take all the races working in harmony to rescue.

This is, simply put, the greatest jazz biography I have ever read. Sun Ra is a complex and fascinating character, and Szwed's narrative more than lives up to the challenge. The most impressive thing about this book is that Szwed places Ra's, shall we say, bizarre beliefs in a context that makes him seem brilliant, lonely, compassionate, and vulnerable--in a word, human. Interwoven with the facts of Ra's life, his childhood, his musical development, his status as 60s cult icon, Szwed goes into long, fascinating digressions on the roots of Ra's beliefs--from ancient Egyptian mythology to the Bible. After reading this book, it was as if a whole world had been opened to me, and I now enjoy and appreciate Ra's art so much more. I wish I could convey how much this book moved me...it is more than the best jazz biography I have ever read, it is one of the best biographies I have ever read, period. If you are at all interested in Sun Ra, experimental jazz, or modern mythmaking, then DO NOT hesitate to pick this book up.

my DAUGHTER loves things that go - trucks, buses, cars...we both have learned lots from this book -- there are so many types of trucks and things that go that I did not the names to and many common things we see every day like the mail truck or fire truck.

We have all 4 books in this series and we love them all! Great pictures and words for my little two year old.

Great pics!! The only con--if any, I think is that maybe the words could be a little more general. (i.e just "firetruck" or "tractor" instead of the formal full name.) But overall this book is awesome! Because of this book, one of my son's first words was "mail truck!" :) We love it!

We got this book for our truck-obsessed son when he was 18-months old and 6 months later it's still one of his favorites. The nice colorful pictures will surely grab the attention of any young truck lover

My 13 months old has others in this collection of books and he loves them all. He can easily turn the pages while I read and talk about the pictures or he just sits and looks at it himself. Highly recommend.

The author Peter Tremayne obviously has a great knowledge of Ireland in the 7th century and also on the Irish Law of the period. His Sister Fidelma book are attracting what can only be described as a cult following, but they are of interest to anyone who likes historical novels or mysteries. This series of books are set in Ireland in the 7th century, a time when there was total equality for women. The lead character is the beguiling Sister Fidelma. She is a brilliant scholar, a leading authority on Irish law and the sister of a king. This is also a period in history when celibacy was not yet a part of religious life.

In this the fourth book in a must read series of Irish mysteries, Sister Fidelma is called to investigate a murder at a remote abbey. But when she arrives there that is not the only mystery that awaits her. There is also the strange disappearance of a ship and all its crew.

I read this 300-page book in one day, which says something about Peter Tremayne's ability to keep the story moving with plenty of twists and turns. Tremayne artfully evokes the landscape and social setting of 7th century Ireland, and is adept at creating visual imagery to take us back to that world.

His heroine, Sister Fidelma, is the proud forerunner of today's special prosecutor, assigned to investigate evil deeds throughout the Emerald Isle. In this case, she ponders the grisly beheadings of two women at a monastery on the Southwest Coast, a mystery which soon becomes entwined with political intrigue and a threat to the kingdom.

Sister Fidelma is very much a modern woman in an ancient setting, and this will be appealing or offputting according to the reader's predilections. If the book has a fault, it is in Tremayne's gratuitously injecting his views on various theological controversies into a murder mystery. In the same context, others may question the historical accuracy of some of his claims.

These caveats nothwithstanding, the book is a page-turner that will not go half-read. Stodgy conservatives such as myself might be irked by this or that historical point, but we will nonetheless have had ourselves a good read.

To put it succinctly: this is a solid, well-written, nicely plotted mystery set in seventh century Ireland, where women had greater rights than they probably have today. Historically accurate (within reason for a mystery novel), this is about as good as the genre gets.

I'm not a fan of modern murder mysteries because I can too easily translate it into paranoia, and stay awake at night worrying about my own safety. But the setting of the Sister Fidelma mysteries is far enough removed from my own reality to just be a great escape. I'm also interested in Irish history, but I'm not one to just sit down and read a history book. I was delighted to learn that in Sister Fidelma's time in Ireland women often were on an equal level with men in many ways, perhaps even as much as today.

This story is the second of the Sister Fidelma mysteries I have read. Another reviewer mentioned the preferred sequence to read them, but I have not done so. You can pick up one and still know as much as you need without having read any of the others.

The Subtle Serpent is very difficult to put down. Even with kids fighting in the next room or my eyes begging me to let them close at night, I found it difficult to not go on to the next page. Sister Fidelma is a bright, bold, brave, compassionate, and likeable young woman who is called to figure out why a headless corpse has been found in the well of the Abbey of the Salmon of the Three Wells. You meet some very interesting characters and some interwoven plots while Sister Fidelma goes about solving this murder.

This fascinating historical mystery is set in Ireland in the year 666 AD. The author uses actual historical events as a backdrop for the story of Sister Fildelma, who is dalaigh, an advocate for the courts. In this capacity she is sent to investigate a murder at an abbey on the southwest coast of Ireland. During her investigation, several more murders are committed and Sister Fidelma becomes aware of local tensions and political machinations, as well as inappropriate behavior at the abbey.

This is a story that benefits from the excellent scholarship by the author who has thoroughly researched this historical setting. The time and place are vividly portrayed with lots of relevant and interesting details. The author is a capable writer with a talent for characterization and ability to build suspense. In addition, despite the fact that I have read none of the prior books in the series, I didn't feel lost by jumping in at the fourth book. However, I am intruiged enough to want to go back and start at the beginning!

I think this is such a hard topic for many of us who personally have gone through difficult times. I know the theology, but it didn't make my heart feel any better. I have three special needs children and I have never been able to really understand our suffering within our family. I know God is wonderful and works all things for good for those who love him. I believe in Romans 8:28, but my heart had moments where life felt so difficult for my husband and me. This book has been a real blessing to me and has really given me hope while raising these babies. I realize that God has called me to raise these children for a purpose higher than i really know here on earth. I needed this book at just this time in my walk. I pray that whoever reads this book will be as blessed as I have been. If God led you to read these reviews, i say buy this book and let God speak to you through it. God bless~

This topic could be no more relevant for the church. It's not a question of modern days, but one that has continued long throughout the history of Christianity. Maybe, however, no other group of gifted men have come together, as one, to put together such a gem of all books.

I am thankful for such a book. You will find it honest, true, straighforward, and absolutely and purely Biblical. If you're wanting a read that will make you feel perky, good about yourself, and inward focused, than don't read this. If you're ready for a heart-wrenching, long-enduring read, than pick this up (and be sure you can sit for a while).

This book will bring to the front of your heart one of the issues that you have just bumped down to the bottom of the priority list. Get it. Read it. Pray through it. Cry through it. Live with the truth of it.

In Piper's book, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, he makes a clear distinction at the very beginning of Chapter 1 that the reasoning behind his book stems from the ultimate reality that God is the supreme value in and above the universe. I found that comforting, knowing that this book was going to focus on suffering without giving God the easy way out. After reading through it, I realized that this is exactly the focus that Piper intended to convey in his writing. It gives a very heartfelt and sincere, yet firm message that the Lord allows all things according to His will and purpose.

Throughout scripture we are reminded of God's purposes in suffering and the vital role that it plays in strengthening our faith and dependency on God. I had not yet come to grasp however, (until reading this book) that many times suffering is the cost of obedience. I think too often we are told that obedience leads to greater fulfillment and contentment in Christ. Ultimately, yes, but there is definitely something to be said for individuals that choose to be obedient, knowing full well that the road is paved with suffering.

I also found it interesting that this type of suffering leads not only to greater obedience but also to greater compassion. This wouldn't have been my natural inclination. I don't usually think about the Apostle Paul, Jeremiah the Prophet, or King David as being very compassionate. Perhaps this is due to their human perspective in relation to their sufferings and the call on their lives. However, you can not read the words of Christ and not sense the compassion that he has for us.

I would and have been recommending this book to a number of my friends. Excellent read!

When the condition of suffering is brought up in today's society, relatively few people can identify with. The modern world, more specifically Western society in all its affluence, is populated with denizens that spend most of their brief lives attempting to avoid suffering. People look to various techniques or goods in their quest to minimize any type of suffering for a mere hint of such a condition is undesirable. From drugs, money, sex, food, entertainment, religion and so on are being utilized for escapism as the reality of suffering becomes too much. As Christians, how are we to endure suffering or even explain it? All too often I hear Christians ask the question of why bad things happen to good people?

The recently released book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor aim to answer the question of suffering from a biblical basis. Based on the 2005 Desiring God National Conference of the same name, the editors have assembled the speakers from that event to put to paper the content of their sessions. If you attended the conference, the book's editors have arranged the various essays by themes instead of the actual order of each session and included additional material outside the conference relating to suffering.

The heart of the book is divided into three parts:

1. The Sovereignty of God in Suffering
2. The Purposes of God in Suffering
3. The Grace of God in Suffering

Part one contains two essays - one written by Pastor Piper and the other by Mark R Talbot. - that tackle the role of God's sovereignty in our suffering. Part two considers the "why" of suffering in four essays - two by Piper, one by Steve Saint, and one by Carl Ellis Jr. Part three closes out the book looking at grace in suffering with writings by David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Joni Eareckson Tada. The last part of the book contains appendices of Don't Waste Your Cancer by John Piper and David Powlison as well as a transcript of the Q&A session with Piper and Justin Taylor from the conference.

The arrangement of the chapters is purposeful, attempting to let each chapter build upon themes and concepts addressed. Even so, the chapters do not have to be read in order to benefit from the writings. In part one Piper shows how God is sovereign over the various methods Satan uses to cause suffering. As humans we all too easily attribute suffering to the Enemy and leave God out of the picture. Mark Talbot, in his essay, reiterates God's sovereignty and goodness through suffering and simultaneously engages the errant view of open theism. Then in part two the book covers the reason of "why" suffering exists. Here in this section Piper explains the ultimate reason for suffering is to "display the greatness of the glory of the grace of God." The second essay is based on a chapter from another of Piper's books Let the Nations Be Glad and works out some reasons how suffering affects a Christian. Steve Saint then further extends this line of thinking into relationships in missions and relates it to his own personal experiences. The final essay of the section by Carl Ellis Jr. parallels Saint's in some ways as he examines suffering in a horizontal sense of one human to another. Part three then engages how God's grace in suffering. David Powlison's essay helps to demonstrate how God meets us in our personal sufferings. There is no quick and easy answer as Dr Powlison aptly points out but he guides us through some biblical principles to help us out. Dustin Shramek reminds us of the immense pain that suffering produces. Though Christians may know the theologically correct answers to suffering, as humans the emotional and physical pain of suffering still exists and does not usually quickly pass. Closing out this final part of the book, Joni Eareckson Tada shows us how we are to place our hope and joy in God and not our own circumstances. Suffering tends to draw our gazes inward and on the Self which is our naturally sinful tendency instead of looking to God. The appendices serve as a coda for a few months after the conference both John Piper and David Powlison were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Don't Waste Your Cancer is Dr. Piper's pre-surgery meditation on his condition that God purposed in his life; Dr Powlison added his own thoughts to this writing shortly after being diagnosed himself. The Q&A portion gives Piper an opportunity to address some corollary issues tied into suffering as well as some personal insights.

Overall this book is immensely profitable whether you read it from cover to cover or skip around. The writers all engaged suffering horizontally while at the same time vertically. Despite the brevity of each chapter for a collaborative work such as this, the topics were handled with conciseness and depth. Suffering is an immensely personal condition that creates more difficulty in our already difficult human lives. Suffering and the Sovereignty of God helps guide us in the biblical truth Christians have that answer the hard questions when such circumstances arise and how we should bring this Truth to a dying world.

This book has some great essays. It provides a great mix of theology, and personal testimony, and narratives of how God uses suffering to progress the gospel. The question of suffering is very complex so having a variety of writers from diverse backgrounds attacking the issue from slightly different perspectives helps the reader to understand how God uses suffering to glorify Himself, to mature us in Christ, and to progress the gospel. Suffering can not always be explained, but we have a God who has suffered through his Son and that should bring great comfort to us. The most poignant essays were by Piper and Joni. Another good essay was Suffering and Missionaries. The book starts off with essays by Piper and Taylor putting suffering within the framework of God's sovereignty.

I haven't suffered much. I was humbled by stories of suffering in this book. The book was very encouraging because the authors of these essays were very honest in their struggles, but yet praised God for the suffering. Their endurance was not their effort, but God's strength working through them.